following the suggestion of a tumblr post, I made a series on ao3 of my favorite fics! I think it's such a nice idea, and it was fun to decide which fics I felt were my personal favorites. some of them I've reread so many times in the spirit of "I wanted to read it so I wrote it".
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Getting out of the comfort zone and experimenting with my writing style, so here is a short Goten and Bulla Mermaid AU story. Hope you enjoy!
Link to the fic: here
A little preview:
Goten loved the sea. It was an undeniable truth sewn into his body, for his family had built their entire life upon it. His father was a famous, respected sailor in the country who was beloved by lords and publicans alike, smiled upon others, cheered for his endeavours and adventures he had endured for the sake of the village—the bakers made sure they always had the warmest of buns and pies in the morning, the farmers gifted them vegetables just ripped from the soil. For forty years he had fed the townsfolk, and before him his own father had hauled fish into the city for just as long.
Goten, just like the rest of his family, liked fishing. He never kept track of the hours spent before the still surface, sitting in the boat, watching the water toy with the birds on the horizon. They dipped too close, split their small beaks in search of supper, then fled when the sea struck back. Goten looked down at his hands—there were marked by deep scars, carved by twine when he pulled heavy fish from the depths. The rope burned when it cut, but he never let go. Pain was part of the work, as ordinary as salt on the skin, as expected as the pull of the tide.
Goten lived a good life. His family had never known poverty. All the children were strong, their skin sun-kissed and marked by the rays of warmth in the late mornings—his neck, always bare, was freckled with small, harmless spots.
@fluffbruary FEB 13: #LIST
TITLE: The Thought That Counts
SHIP: Bra/Goten
FANDOM: Dragon Ball
RATING: T
WORDS: 1,053
A/N: Goten and Bra’s first Valentine’s Day is coming up, but what do you get the girl who has everything?
The biggest problem with being attracted to pretty, rich women was definitely the gift-giving part. Goten got by well enough for himself, and Bra always paid on their dates unless she was really in the mood to be spoiled. But their first Valentine’s Day was approaching and Goten was at a loss for a gift for a woman who had everything and more.
He spent the whole 13th going from store to store. Chocolate and flowers and wine were easy and traditional, and she loved those things, anyway. But it all seemed so cliche for such an incredible woman. He thought about getting her workout gear, but the stuff Bulma made was better, anyway. The price of a new purse was absolutely out of his price range. Lingerie?
This is what he got for waiting til the last minute. He was desperate. He called Trunks.
“Ew,” Trunks said when asked if he had any ideas.
“Shut up,” Goten said, ears reddening. “I’m stuck, okay? I just thought a different perspective–”
“Very different,” Trunks replied.
Goten picked at a loose thread on the couch. “I just don’t know what approach to take.”
“Goten, she’s a spoiled brat, but that doesn’t mean she needs expensive shit.” Over the phone, Goten could hear papers rustling and the other line ringing on Trunks’ office phone. “She wants to feel like the most specialest girl in the room, you know? That makes her pretty happy.”
“Well, yeah.”
“So go from there, dude.”
Stores would be closing in a few hours, so Goten was probably not buying her anything. He could cancel their dinner reservations, save a ton of money, and make her a big fancy dinner at his apartment, then ravish and spoil her in bed. Yeah. He’d do that. Where could he get rose petals at this hour?
It didn’t feel like enough. Bra would appreciate anything he did for her, sure; she was crazy about him. But she just deserved so much, he always felt.
The most specialest girl in the room. In his whole world. She was smart and clever, quick and sharp, but she was also soft and tender, beautiful and funny. She could multitask like almost no one else he knew, way above her peers. And holy shit she was hot.
He supposed he could tell her all those things; that would make her feel pretty special. But he would feel like an idiot standing in front of her, reciting all the things he loved about her. He ran his hands through his hair. She knew how much he loved her, and he showed it all the time. Why would it be so awkward to simply tell her?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Bra wasn’t thrilled to hear they weren’t going to her favorite restaurant, but she wasn’t exactly mad. She stood at his door the next evening, hands on her hips, one brow cocked as she grinned a little. “You must have big plans. I was looking forward to dinner. I got all dressed up.”
“Don’t be silly,” he said, kissing her forehead. “We’re still having dinner. And I’m dressed up too, see?”
“For dinner at home?” She tossed her jacket over the back of the chair. Her navy dress was, well, short and slinky, her necklace plunging between her breasts nicely, like an arrow. Goten suddenly felt underdressed in his expensive dress shirt, like he should’ve worn a whole suit.
“C’mon, princess,” he said, and she followed him into the kitchen. It was dimly-lit and the table was already set with her favorite foods and champagne on ice. He even put a candle on the table.
“You made all this for me?” she beamed, and she raised herself up on her toes to kiss him briefly. “It all smells so good.”
“So do you,” he said, and she laughed and kissed him again, much longer this time. She was warm and firm under his hands, and he held her tight. “You hungry?”
“Always.”
Dinner was good, and the conversation was good, and the flirting was good. Bra was happy, her eyes sparkling like the champagne as he brought out dessert. “This I didn’t make,” he admitted. “You’ve seen my baking.” It was a small, just-for-two, heart-shaped chocolate cake with cherries and ganache, and they made short work of it.
After dinner, Bra brought out a small, neatly-wrapped package. Goten took it gingerly, opening it as she watched eagerly. “Oh, B.,” he said. Inside were two tickets to the tropical island they’d talked about visiting. “This trip isn’t cheap,” he said. “Thank you!”
“Are you excited?”
“I am!” But his face gave him away.
“What’s wrong? Did you want to go somewhere else?” Bra’s brows furrowed together.
“Ah, no.” Goten scratched the short hair at the nape of his neck. “I just… Well, I didn’t… spend that much on your gift.”
“Oh, Goten,” she smiled, running the fabric of his collar through her fingers, easing him just a hair closer. “That’s not what matters. It’s the thought that counts, right?” She frowned a little. “You like the vacation, right?”
“I do! I just– Here.” He pulled the envelope from his pocket and handed it to her, embarrassed. “Here’s a lot of thoughts.”
Puzzled, she accepted the plain white mailing envelope. Inside were two sheets of loose leaf, lined, everyday notebook paper. She unfolded them and began reading.
It was a list. A very long list, two columns on each page, front and back. As her eyes scanned the items, her expression softened and she smiled. She leaned her shoulder against Goten’s chest as she continued, immersed, blushing furiously once or twice. “This is..”
“It’s a list of everything I love about you,” he said, resting his lips against her head and curling her closer to him. “Well, it’s everything I could think of. I can probably add to it.”
“Goten, this is so– ‘Short-tempered’?!?”
He laughed and hugged her fully, crinkling the paper between them. “What, are you gonna deny it?”
“You like that?”
“I like that about you,” he said, tipping her chin up to look at him more fully. “I like everything about you, B.”
And she laughed softly against his mouth, accepting his deep kisses and his arms around her shoulders. She crushed herself against him, feeling like the most special girl in the world.
I'm probably going to save the rest of these for broten week 2026 (??!), but I wanted to get it started cause I love them!!! I'm gonna do as many as I can, up to 25, cause I'm using this prompt table. I chose the rainy themes since my debut broten fic was 4 Rainy Days to Fall in Love, which was so warmly received and I am still so grateful!~
anyway, have a drabble. I'm trying to make them exactly 100 words, just for the challenge of it all.
PROMPT: the flu
TITLE: Sick Daze
CHARACTERS: Bra/Goten
LENGTH: 100w
Goten thinks that Bra has never seemed more like her father than when she is sick. This is the first time she’s had a flu since they’ve started living together, and he is pretty sure he’s more miserable than she is. Bra is not a good patient.
He makes her soup and toast and a comfy spot to sulk on the couch. He empties her puke bucket. He bribes her with cough syrup to convince her to allow him to check her temperature.
And even through her snarky replies and bad mood, he sees the appreciation in her blue eyes.
